Ed Simonich

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1916–1965)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Ed Simonich

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|1|11}}

| birth_place = Ironwood, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1965|8|22|1916|1|11}}

| death_place = Butte, Montana, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_sport1 = Football

| player_years2 = 1935–1938

| player_team2 = Notre Dame

| player_positions = Fullback

| coach_sport1 = Football

| coach_years2 = 1939–1941

| coach_team2 = Carroll (MT)

| coach_years3 = 1945–1946

| coach_team3 = Butte Central Catholic HS (MT)

| coach_years4 = 1947–1949

| coach_team4 = Trinity HS (IA)

| coach_years5 = 1950–1954

| coach_team5 = Bishop Heelan Catholic HS (IA)

| coach_years6 = 1955–1956

| coach_team6 = Butte Central Catholic HS (MT)

| coach_years7 = 1957–1964

| coach_team7 = Montana Mines

| coach_sport8 = Basketball

| coach_years9 = 1939–1944

| coach_team9 = Carroll (MT)

| coach_years10 = 1944–1947

| coach_team10 = Butte Central Catholic HS (MT)

| coach_years11 = 1957–1965

| coach_team11 = Montana Mines

| coach_sport12 = Track and field

| coach_years13 = 1939–1944

| coach_team13 = Carroll (MT)

| admin_years1 = 1944–1947

| admin_team1 = Butte Central Catholic HS (MT)

| admin_years2 = 1947–1950

| admin_team2 = Trinity HS (IA)

| admin_years3 = 1950–1955

| admin_team3 = Bishop Heelan Catholic HS (IA)

| admin_years4 = 1957–1965

| admin_team4 = Montana Mines

| overall_record =

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships = Football
2 MCC (1940–1941)
1 MCC Lower Division (1964)

Basketball
2 MCC (1942–1943)

Track and field
2 MCC (1940)

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Edward F. "Big Ed" Simonich (January 11, 1916 – August 22, 1965) was an American college football player and coach, college basketball coach, track and field coach, athletics administrator, and educator.{{cite web|url=https://godiggers.com/hof.aspx?hof=17|title=Ed Simonich|publisher=godiggers.com|access-date=December 6, 2018}} He served as the head football coach at Carroll College in Butte, Montana from 1939 to 1941 and the Montana State School of Mines—now known as Montana Technological University—from 1957 to 1964. Simonich played football at the University of Notre Dame under coach Elmer Layden.{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/nd-fb-alltimeroster.pdf|title=Notre Dame All-Time Roster|publisher=rudesfuneralhome.com|access-date=December 6, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016145447/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/nd-fb-alltimeroster.pdf|url-status=dead}} He was selected in the 19th round of the 1939 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1939 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1939/draft.htm |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=March 27, 2023 }}

Simonich led the Carroll Fighting Saints football team to consecutive Montana Collegiate Conference (MCC) titles, in 1940 and 1941. He also coached basketball and track at Carroll, leading his track team to a MCC championship in 1940 and his basketball teams to back-to-back MCC titles, in 1942 and 1943.{{cite news |author= |title=Coach of Central Has Set Fine Record As High School Mentor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-butte-daily-post/162279318/ |newspaper=The Butte Daily Post |location=Butte, Montana |date=November 12, 1946 |page=9 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} In November 1944, Simonich was hired as the athletic director at Boy's Central High School—now known as Butte Central Catholic High School—in Butte, Montana.{{cite news |author= |title=Ed Simonich, Championship Producer In Five Years at Carroll, Will Coach Boy's Central in Butte |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record/162279240/ |newspaper=Independent Record |location=Helena, Montana |date=November 9, 1944 |page=8 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} In 1947, he left Montana to become the athletic director head football coach at Trinity High School in Sioux City, Iowa.{{cite news |author= |title=Ed Simonich Named Head Grid Coach at Trinity High |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal/162279425/ |newspaper=Sioux City Journal |location=Sioux City, Iowa |date=May 22, 1947 |page=17 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} Three years later, in 1950, he took on the same role at the newly-opened Bishop Heelan Catholic High School, also in Sioux City. In 1955, he returned to Butte Central Catholic High School as head football coach.{{cite news |author= |title=Ed Simonich To Butte |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal/162279516/ |newspaper=Sioux City Journal |location=Sioux City, Iowa |date=April 23, 1955 |page=9 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} In 1955, Simonich was hired as athletic director, coach, and assistant professor at Montana Mines, succeeding Ralph Olsen.{{cite news |author= |title=Ed Simonich To Coach at Butte College |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-great-falls-leader/162285977/ |newspaper=Great Falls Leader |location=Great Falls, Montana |date=June 11, 1957 |page=9 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Ed Simonich to new Coach Job |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ironwood-daily-globe/23029042/ |newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe |location=Ironwood, Michigan |date=September 12, 1957 |page=8 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} At Montana Mines, Simonich also coached basketball, baseball, track, wrestling, ice hockey, tennis, and golf and was director of intramural sports.{{cite news |last=Glaudi |first=Hap |title=Looking 'Em Over; Simonich Is Lazy?... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press/162286237/ |newspaper=Sunday Courier and Press |location=Evansville, Indiana |date=September 13, 1959 |page=2C |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Simonich was born on January 11, 1916, in Ironwood, Michigan. He died on August 22, 1965, after suffering from cancer.{{cite news |author= |title=Cancer Kills Ed Simonich |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette/162279092/ |newspaper=Billings Gazette |location=Billings, Montana |agency=United Press International |date=August 23, 1965 |page=11 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Edward Simonich |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ironwood-daily-globe-simonich-edward-obi/407909/ |newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe |location=Ironwood, Michigan |date=August 23, 1965 |page=22 |access-date=December 6, 2018 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}